After college I went into Sales with Bally’s Health & Tennis – I moved up quick and after a couple years I decided I wanted to travel more and not work in an office. I sold a membership to an owner of a food brokerage (someone who sells many different brands of foods to foodservice distributors – who sell to restaurants), I was dating a guy who was in the spice business and living with a guy (platonically) who worked for Campbell’s. Needless to say I got into the food business. I became extremely interested in Aquaculture (farm raising of seafood) and that became my specialty – then I expanded into Seafood in general. I have been in this business for 14 years and I am a leader in the industry. I owned my own Seafood Brokerage in Chicago for 5 years and merged (later sold) to a competitor so I could go work for the largest fishing, processing, marketing companies in the US – Trident Seafoods. Last year I was approached by Marine Harvest, the worlds largest Aquaculture company, to head up their National Account and Foodservice division. I didn’t want to leave Trident – but they made me and offer I couldn’t refuse. I just got back from Chile where some of our farms and processing facilities are. I’ll be headed to Norway, Scotland and Poland in the near future for work. I love my job – it’s very exciting and ever changing.
Some of you know how close I was to my Mom & Dad. I hurts to even type this – but they both have passed away. My Dad almost 6 years ago and my Mom 4 years ago. They both died at home with me and my sisters at their sides. I was living in Chicago when my Dad was dying – and working for Trident – but they flew me home to Mansfield almost every weekend. Then a year later my Mom was diagnosed with Lung cancer (I still think it was a broken heart). I couldn’t take being away from her so I transferred to Mansfield with my company's blessing and bought a house on Parkwood Blvd. so I could be with her everyday. She stayed around for 6 months after I got there and I am grateful for every second. I got to take her to New York and live it up at the Ritz – and we spent a lot of time talking. She often talked about my high school days and all my friends and teachers – she loved all of you and she loved working in the cafeteria.
That is a long story about how I got to where I am now – in Pompano Beach, Florida (it’s 80 degrees today by the way and sunny)! I still own that house in Mansfield on Parkwood Blvd. It’s for sale – cheap – or for rent! I just bought a great house down here and having a vacation home in Mansfield, Ohio isn’t exactly my idea of a great investment. Plus now Annamarie has that fabulous renovated farmhouse with a room just for me (she and Carl don’t know that yet) – I can always stay there for free. Michelle Spain just bought a new house too – she hasn’t had me over yet – maybe this will remind her that I’m waiting for an invitation. I can’t wait to see you all in July!
Marcy Bemiller
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marcy.bemiller@marineharvest.com
(updated 2-27-2004)
